


What if

by instinctively



Category: Torchwood
Genre: F/M, Insecure Tosh, M/M, Minor Janto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-11
Updated: 2014-08-11
Packaged: 2018-02-12 17:59:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2119407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/instinctively/pseuds/instinctively
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tosh is madly in love with Owen, but unsure if he loves her as well. Jack invites her into his office to give her some advice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What if

"Honestly, this shirt makes you look like a sex god, Owen, you really should consider wearing it more often! And the new fragrance you use? Course, I have noticed, the scent of it makes me want to pin you to a wall and snog you!"

These were all things she could have said, but didn't. 

Toshiko Sato, technological expert, working for Torchwood three, Cardiff.

Currently she was working on the translation for a text that Jack had received on his vortex manipulator. It was a new form of alien language and of course she was the one that had to translate it. 

And because her efforts hadn't been going anywhere for the last few days, she was getting frustrated and caught herself staring at Owen now and then instead of being focused on her work. 

Not that staring at her colleague would get her anyway.

In fact she was getting frustrated with him as well, but, when you think about it, daydreaming about her beloved doctor was much less effort than trying to understand a language which the world has never seen before.

But he had never been /just/ a colleague of hers anyway. 

Tosh had fancied him for many years now, since Jack had brought her to Torchwood and changed her life. Everyday she woke up with the thought "I am going to tell him today" but then she was just too shy and insecure.

There was just so much to lose. 

If she really was to tell him 'I love you' at some point, what would she say if he replied 'I don't' ? 

How would he react? 

Would he make fun of her?

How would she carry on working with him, seeing him every single day, knowing that he would know one of her deepest secrets?

Tosh blushed just at the thought of it. No, better I don't tell him at all, she told herself.

But then again, what if he did love her and was just too shy to admit it, just like her?

If they were a couple, this would make things a lot easier. They could go to work together in the morning and go out afterwards. Cinema, pub, watching telly at home. Tosh didn't mind, as long as it was together with Owen. 

Her daydreaming was cut off by Jack waving his hands in front of her face. 

"Hellohoo, anyone there? Earth to Tosh, earth to Tosh, please report!"

Tosh jumped a bit and laughed. "Sorry, I didn't - "

"Yeah, I saw that," Jack said with a huge grin.

As she didn't reply he asked, "Everything alright?"

No, not exactly, but better not talk about it. Instead, she smiled politely, shrugged and pretended to go back to work doing research on the Torchwood data base, hoping Jack would go away.

"You know," Jack said after a while, "I actually wanted those translations done /today/." 

Tosh nodded, "I know, I've just - , I didn't really get up to it properly, I've been very busy lately."

"With ...what exactly? Staring into nowhere?" 

She blushed and Jack's grin got even bigger.

"C'mon, let's go to my office, we need to talk."

***

As they sat down, Tosh looked around the office insecurely. 

"Have you changed anything in here?" she asked, and when Jack arched an eyebrow at that, she added, "Looks different."

The captain shrugged, "Ianto's tidied up I think, giving everything a special place, as he says." 

"Oh okay," Toshiko nodded and looked down at her fingernails. She really didn't want to statt, let alone have this conversation.

"Look," Jack finally said, sipping at his coffee, "It's okay if you don't wanna talk about this, I know this is private stuff but I'm starting to worry about you. What's wrong? And don't tell me you're fine, tell me what the matter is, okay?"

Tosh hesitated at first but then she said, "It's Owen."

Jack leaned back, taking a sip from his coffee again. He looked at her and nodded, clearly waiting for her to go on.

Tosh sighed. 

What could she possibly tell Jack? She knew best not to fully trust him, after many times that his plans had leaked safety or the right strategy.

But thinking about it, Jack was the person that had probably had the most relationships, including other planets than the earth, so he should be experienced enough to help her with her problems.

Finally, she repeated, "It's Owen. I just can't control myself recently, because sometimes when I look at him I feel-, I just think-" she stopped and sighed one more time.

"It's just... I love him, I think I always have," she explained.

"I know," Jack replied with a grin planted on his face.

She gasped. "How could you-"

"You seriously thought this was a secret, Tosh?" he interrupted her, "It's so obvious, the way you're staring at him, even the pizza girl noticed, when she handed the Magherita over to me yesterday and saw you were working together with Owen she was like hey sorry just curious but are they a couple or what?"

Tosh didn't know how to reply to this so she just looked at him sheepishly.

Jack laughed, "Oh, um, sorry that wasn't particularily nice, I suppose. Apologies," he smiled lightly, then went on, "The reason why I wanted to talk is you're not doing anything. You're just staring absently and it makes me sick. Is there anything else? Other friends, family, or...?"

"No, it's only Owen who is upsetting me a bit."

"But how? As far as I know he hasn't done anything."

"Yes, exactly /that/ is the point!" she exclaimed, louder than she had intended. 

"Everytime I try to be kind, like help him with his work or something, he just ignores it."

"So, as far as I understood, your problem is, you love him but you think he doesn't."

"Yeah," she huffed.

"Does he even know you love him?"

"Don't know, I haven't told him, but when you say that it's that obvious, he might know."

"Okay, and you haven't told him because...you're too shy?" Jack guessed.

Tosh nodded and ruffled through her hair.

The captain drank his last bit of coffee, his furrowed in though for a brief moment. 

"Huh. Okay. D'you want some advice from uncle Jack?" he asked with a smile.

Tosh chuckled and shrugged. "Sure, although I don't know if it's gonna work"   
"What I say is, always try. If you don't, you might as well leave it completely. So, what I suggest is that you ask him out."

"What?! On a date? Are you insane?"

Jack laughed. "That's gonna be a piece work here," he muttered, more talking to himself. 

Then he said, "Of course you ask him out on a date, sweety, how else is he supposed to know you that you have got a crush on him?"

"But I'm the girl, I can't make the first move."

"Says who? And if you're not doing it, who will?"

She sighed, "But what if he says no?"

Jack shrugged, "Just try again."

"Okay..."

"Also, men like short skirts. Wear more short skirts and maybe some blouse that makes you look sexy and attractive. That will definetely draw attention to you."

Tosh laughed, "Is that what you do to Ianto?"

"Well, I mean I personally, always look handsome, but yes. I normally open a few of my shirt's top buttons when he's around. And I say it's working," and they laughed together.

"So," Tosh started to sum up, "show more skin and interest, ask him out...anything else?"

"Even if it sounds difficult, try not to try too hard, because if you do, you just look desperate and he'll lose interest. Men are like wolves, they like to hunt, and if you get attached too easily, he'll soon get bored. Another way to keep him interested is cheating but you better shouldn't do that, cause it's a bit extreme. This is also something I do to Ianto, because he get jealous soo easily..."

Right at that moment, Ianto came in with a cup of coffee. He raised his eyebrows as he saw the two of them. 

"Ahhh, Ianto, where would I be without my coffee boy," Jack cheered and casually opened a few buttons of his shirt.

Tosh noticed how a sign of arousal crossed Ianto's face and she grinned to herself.

He placed the mug on Jack's desk and asked, "I heard my name, what were you talking about? Um, sorry, I didn't mean to overhear your -"

"It's okay, Yanno, don't worry, I was just talking about cheating on you."

"You little piece of -" he stopped himself from swearing and laughed instead.

Jack gave him a smirk, then turned to Tosh again, "No, but seriously, Tosh, with me and Ianto it's different but you...nah just don't."

She smiled and nodded.

"Oi, you lot," Ianto shouted, punching the other man's shoulder lightly. "Just because we're a couple now doesn't mean you can cheat on me all the time!"

"Ugh, how I hate the word couple," Jack groaned, put a hand on Ianto's arm looking up to him with a loving smile on his lips.

Ianto took his hand. "So do I."

Then they looked at each other for a few seconds without breaking eye-contact and Tosh thought how she admired that relationship. 

Finally, she cleared her throat and stood up. "I think I'm gonna go now, need to get on with the alien language. But anyway, thanks, Jack," she said and smiled. 

She walked out, closing the glass door behind her. And when she turned around one moment later she could see them kissing softly, Jack's hand ruffling the Welsh man's hair slightly.

That will be me and Owen one day, she told herself with a smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :)


End file.
